Of Two Minds
by BlueRascal
Summary: A take on the 'Kurt gets amnesia' plot, but with a little twist, the Brotherhood get to him first...I guess i should add that if you look really, really hard with a warped mind, theres an iddy biddy bit of Kietro. I guess my minds warped... Complete
1. Kurt Wagner

Disclaimer – The X-men belong to the lovely people at Marvel. Although, if the lovely people would like to give us them to take care of…

* * *

The blue mutant was, to put it simply, feeling blue. It wasn't because of the blueness of his fur, or the blueness of his hair, or even the blueness of the large open sky that he was staring at as he lay in the garden watching the occasional cloud drift by.

He was feeling blue because of the simple fact that he was the only one in the mansion, not in the way of 'everyone is out' alone, but truly and completely alone.

The summer break had finally arrived and all the other students where at their parents houses, barring Rogue and Scott who didn't have parents to return to. Although Rogue was currently with Kitty rather than being in the empty house and Scott was staying with Ororo and Evan who had both returned to their family. Logan was away to wherever Logan went to, though rumour had it that since he seemed to be a cowboy of sorts, he went to some giant rodeo festival, but who truly knew? Lastly, the professor was away on some fancy meeting that had so many long words in its description that even Kurt's extensive English failed to grasp it.

And he also knew that most of the other students hadn't understood it either, and English was their first language – at least he had an excuse to have it explained to him…

But he was going off on a tangent.

He was feeling blue because he was alone, and the reason he was alone and not in Germany with his family was because that, quite simply, one of his aunts (on his mothers side) had fallen grievously ill and the Wagner's had gone to see them. And since that side of the family didn't have a clue of his existence, he couldn't go with them.

Even with the image inducer, it would have been too awkward to explain his presence as the son/nephew/grandchild no one knew about. It was safer and much easier if he remained at the mansion.

Why did he have to be so understanding and agree to it?

Sighing, he rolled onto his stomach and let the sun warm the deep blue fur of his back. Which was at least the only benefit to him being alone these past twelve days – he hadn't worn his image inducer even once and in doing so, he was beginning to feel comfortable again in his blue fur-lined skin.

It was odd how the device that was meant to help him blend in with humanity had only made him more shameful of his appearance, going even to the lengths of wearing it in the mansion so that the other students weren't staring at him…

Or was he just being paranoid? Though Kitty's screams were enough evidence…

Or was it simply thinking too much because he had far too much time on his hands?

Getting to his oddly shaped feet, he stretched slowly before walking into the mansion and into the kitchen were he started his favourite past time. Cooking. His first attempts in the mansion at cooking had turned out disastrous, namely because none of the utensils where, unlike at home, suitable for him to use.

Over time though, he had managed to acquire, persuade and, if all else failed, request suitable cooking utensils. It was amazing the difference that the thickness of the handle could have to his cooking…

And all those glorious little easy-use gadgets, how he loved them all.

After preparing a small feast and freezing the majority to be heated later when he was feeling hungry again (most likely in an hour or so) he sat down to eat, listening to the silence that was only punctuated by the ticking of the clock.

It was so weird not to have to yell over the normal lunch time din, or weave about in the usual lunch time crowd or have to scrap over food during the usual lunch time chaos.

Suddenly the peace didn't seem so bad – at least he didn't have to fight them all off for that one last Twinkie…

Sighing, Kurt finished his food and stretched again. These past twelve days he had spent his time doing three things. Starting with the one he did least, around three or so hours a day, was watching his Errol Flynn movie collection and copying various moves. Then it was probably sleeping, or dozing, or having cat naps, which took him up to eight hours. It was funny how he hated sleeping for any length of time, but kept sleeping in during school days…

But the thing he spent the most time on? The danger room, totalling around nine hours a day. The left over hour was spent on cooking or cleaning or something like that. But onto his nine hours of danger room time – one in the morning to 'loosen up' for the day. One before lunch, two after lunch, two in the afternoon, two in the evening and the last one just before he went to bed to tire him out.

Although perhaps 'danger room' wasn't the right word – sure, he did run simulations, and lots of the time it was Errol Flynn movie sequences to practice his choreography and sword techniques but it was nearly always set to just being able to do his acrobatics.

How he wished to one day fly.

After cleaning the last dish, the blue mutant stretched one more time and then teleported into the danger room where, for a short time at least, he flew, and forgot about being lonely and blue.

* * *

With a last double somersault, Kurt teleported into the control room and ended his current danger room simulation – a sequence straight from one of Errol Flynn's movies where he had been battling pirates and the like. Placing his swords into their sheaf's, he then teleported to his room where he simply stared around it for a moment.

He really didn't want to do anything in here.

Moving around the whole mansion, the answer was the same, he really didn't feel like doing anything inside, even the temptation of swapping around Kitty's pink fluffy teddies for Rogues safety pinned monsters didn't appeal.

What was the point of having these brilliant ideas for tricks without anyone to annoy! So, the blue mutant decided, he would go outside and into the town – maybe do some shopping, it was after all only three in the afternoon.

Putting on his image inducer, he looked in the mirror at his 'human' appearance and, not for the first time, felt that it needed tweaked to show off his sharp cheekbones and more developed features. And he was taller than it made out, which was annoying, not that he actually ever walked straight enough anyway for it to be a problem.

And his hair really did need cut, even though the image inducer didn't show this – it was about two inches longer in reality.

Stopping his inspection, Kurt wondered if maybe he should just get rid of the hair altogether, and it would give everyone a surprise when they came back…after all, people could change a lot in twelve days…sometimes…

Or he could dye it green or red and…ach, who was he kidding? Anything clashed with blue…

Maybe he could just hack his hair into some mad design instead…

Shaking his head, Kurt turned round and simply teleported to one of several secluded areas around Bayville that he regularly used. This one was in, well, above an alley and he delicately landed on the fire escape. After making sure no fires had broken out for it to be in use, he made his way into the alley and from there, took a turn and was in the high street.

It was dead.

Perhaps everyone else had gone on holiday or something? Maybe he had missed some vital news broadcast telling everyone to stay inside because flesh eating zombies where on the loose and there would be one right round the corner…

Kurt blinked in surprise as, taking the corner; he came right up to Toad.

He smelt bad enough to be a flesh eating zombie…

"Yo!" The green mutant looked at him critically. "Aren't you like, somewhere else right now?"

"Last I checked I was standing right here…" The blue mutant shrugged. "I decided to go out for a bit and do some shopping, but I hadn't realised how quiet it was around here at the moment."

"Everyone's on holiday somewhere – probably tanning themselves on some exotic beach." Toad sighed. "How come you're not tanning yourself on some exotic beach?"

"One, I don't tan, I just get warm and two, everyone would scream if they saw me sunning myself on a beach." Kurt shook his head and entered the shops, not even bothering to chase Toad away when he realised the green mutant was following him. "Things didn't go to plan, so for now I'm staying here. Yourself?"

"Nowhere to go and no one to go with." The green mutant shrugged. "All of us at the brotherhood have just been burning time, you know? I can't believe I actually want school to start…"

"Yeah, same here." Entering one of the many food shops, Kurt began selecting ingredients. "Do you have any plans?"

"Just burning time."

Kurt couldn't believe he actually spoke the next phrase. "Want to burn some time with me then? I've got no one else to burn it with."

It seemed that Toad was just as shocked as Kurt had been. "Yo, you mean hang out with an x-geek?"

"Yeah, I can't believe I just asked to hang out with the brotherhood, and the smelliest member at that." Kurt shook his head. "I've spent way too long alone…"

Toad suddenly grinned. "As long as no one sees me then I don't mind – but you're paying."

Looking at his holiday allowance, which was an alarmingly considerable sum as all Kurt had been purchasing was a few food items, most of which was put on the food allowance budget, he shrugged. "Sure, but I get to pick where we go."

"You're paying, I aint complaining."

"How does ice cream sound as we discuss where to go next?"

The green mutant grinned. "How big an ice cream are we talking about?"

Kurt shrugged. "I was thinking of having one of those little ice cream mountains myself personally."

"Aren't they like, to be shared by three or four people?"

"You _share_ them!" The blasphemy of it all!

Toad decided not to answer just in case his ice cream was in jeopardy. "Some people do."

"Ah, I see, well I'm not." Grinning, Kurt headed to the ice cream store, glad to be talking to anyone, even if it was the smelliest member of the brotherhood…

* * *

"…and that's why I came to be in my current circumstances." Kurt concluded finally as he licked the last of the ice cream off his spoon. Really, twelve flavours wasn't enough sometimes, and to think, Todd appeared to be struggling with just six. "And don't even think of trying anything, all the alarms are still set."

"Yo, I was thinking of throwing a party, not attacking the place."

"Who would I invite to a party? Everyone I know is on holiday."

Toad grinned and puffed up his chest. "Not everyone…"

"No, how would I explain to the professor that I had the brotherhood around for a party? I think he would really loose it, I have been pushing it recently."

Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Toad put on a mock horror voice. "Really? What heinous crime have you committed to get in the saints bad books?"

"The usual – not refusing to do my homework or tidy my room, not trying to go to parties all the time instead of working on my essays, not trying to have a party at every occasion…"

"Yo, he wants you to socialise more?" The green mutant shook his head and took a spoonful of his own ice cream – a 'large' bowl which was around half the size of Kurt's already eaten bowl, and he was starting to struggle, but he would not be beaten! And who was he to turn down free ice-cream? "That's crazy, the tin can wants us to put more effort in – doesn't want us to be expelled and lose any opportunities of studying you guys."

Kurt shook his head and, cheekily, stole some of Toads ice cream. "Its not that he wants me to do badly at school, he just thinks I need to get out of my shell more – apparently even though I act like a goofball, I'm not letting people, and by that I mean normal humans, get close to me." He pointed his spoon at Toad. "Which is ridiculous really since I do like humans, and my parents are humans as well."

"Then why don't you socialise more."

"It's humans that don't like me."

"Ah, I have that problem as well."

"Yours can be cured with super strong deodorant and a bath in toxic waste remover."

Toad scowled. "Yours could be cured if you shaved."

"That would be really itchy, wouldn't it?" Kurt shuddered. "Imagine when it all grew back in – it'd be like blue stubble!" Shaking the suggestion off, he picked up his spoon again and tried to get more ice cream from Todd's bowl.

Holding a spoon battle, the green mutant failed to register Pietro's sudden appearance until the speedster took the ice cream bowl off them. "Yo, I was trying to eat that!" Well, struggling would be more correct…

"With an x-geek?" Pietro looked at the German critically. "Why are you here?"

"Yo, the x-geeks all abandoned him."

"You're alone, seriously? In that huge place?" Pietro shook his head, grinning wickedly. "We could -"

"The security systems are automated so don't even think about attacking."

"I was going to suggest a party."

This seemed awfully familiar. "Toad already asked and no, you're not coming round for a party." Shaking his head again, Kurt rose to his feet before being pushed back down by Lance. "Guten tag…"

"What's this I hear about you being all alone?" The teenager grinned nastily. "We could have some fun with you."

And now Kurt remembered why he had decided to stay inside the past twelve days, because no one was around to rescue him. Wonderbar.

Walking over, Tabitha unknowingly came to his rescue. "There you guys are, me and Wanda were thinking about seeing a movie." She looked at Kurt. "Hey Blue, you want to come to?"

"Nein, I really should be getting back." His attempt to flee was stopped when Pietro put his arm over the blue mutants shoulder.

"Come on, it'll be fun." Dragging the blue mutant with him, Pietro grinned. "A lot of fun…"

* * *

This was most certainly fun. Who would have thought Wanda's sarcasm would be so funny? And Tabitha had declared that Kurt wasn't to be harmed as he was an endangered species and that finding cute, blue and furry guys to cuddle at the cinema was getting really hard to find these days.

And, even though the movie turned out to be not quite Kurt's taste, it was still brilliant being able to just go the cinema and relax, not having to worry about who his tail snagged or who felt his fur.

Albeit, both where happening to Tabitha and Wanda, the reason he was between them was because Tabitha insisted that Wanda just had to cuddle her 'all time favourite blue plushie' and, after no complaints where given, he had remained there.

All too soon the movie ended and this time, he did really insist upon leaving but then Tabitha insisted that he at least come round to the brotherhood house for a drink and a bite of Fred's wonderful home made cake…

So that's why he had his mouth full of the most delicious chocolate cake in the world and a glass of milk in his tail as Pietro and Lance glowered at him. Fred was happy someone was eating, and complimenting his cooking and Toad was happy that he wasn't being hanged for associating with the blue guy in the first place.

Finishing the last of the cake and milk, Kurt stretched slowly, nearly twisting into a small ball. "Well, that was really appreciated but I do have to go now." Getting to his feet and waving goodbye to Tabitha and Wanda who were in heated debate over something he felt it wise not to ask about, Kurt shut the door behind him.

He had actually eaten with, seen a movie and then had snacks afterwards with the brotherhood and was still alive to tell the tale. Had a miracle occurred? It certainly looked like one to him.

Braking suddenly at the sight of Magnetos sinister presence, the blue mutant suddenly panicked and, spinning round, ran straight into a tree.

Reeling back from the collision and wondering exactly what truck had just hit him, a branch then fell onto his head.

Slowly picking himself up, Kurt wondered just why there where so many stars so close to the ground just as he simply collapsed.

The dustbin toppled over and landed on him.

Moving forward and, with a wave of a hand, Magneto shifted the dustbins before kneeling in front of the unconscious teenager where, after a moments debate, he took his pulse.

After confirming that the boy was alive, he, rather surprisingly to anyone that knew him, picked up the fragile mutant and, cradling him slightly, carried him inside.

There where several screams, green flashes and then the house shook.

Magneto was beginning to wonder just what was so dang scary about himself.

All then fell silent.

* * *

Please R&R – feedback is really appreciated for this one! 


	2. Michael Awakes

Disclaimer – Don't own 'em, wish I did…

* * *

And a quick shout to Tailfeather, LZN, Kemious the Kitsugriff, Shineskil and random girl for the lovely reviews – thanks guys!

* * *

"Kurt…"

Sitting back, Pietro chewed his nails and looked at the blue teenager that was now lying on his bed and had been unconscious for nearly two hours. The annoying watch had been removed so they could actually see any injuries he had gained from the freak accident, but there didn't seem to be any.

Except for a few scratches and a slight bump on his head anyway, but nothing serious, and they couldn't take him to the hospitable either.

It really had to suck to be blue sometimes.

And they couldn't contact Xavier since none of them had any contact details, and the only person who knew them was unconscious.

Moving onto his bed and shifting the blue mutant's legs to do so, the speedster sighed and stared at the opposite wall. "You plan on waking up at any time soon, Kurt? I really don't want any more fur than necessary getting onto my bed." And his bed it was doomed to be since Toads was a health hazard, Lances was highly unstable and the girls beds where, well, the girls beds.

So it was him that was landed the duty of keeping an eye on Kurt whilst Magneto talked to Mystique about the current health of her son. Which was another thing, the speedster mused, the blue mutant had said that his mother was in Germany but she was right here…

Oh, he had an adopted family didn't he? Pietro sighed, the mutant that was currently unconscious was actually quite lucky in some respects – a pair of humans had just accepted him, fur and all, and yet Pietro knew that if humans knew he was a mutant they'd hate him.

And yet he actually looked normal, to a degree.

The door was suddenly flung open and, after falling off the bed in fright, Pietro was then run over by Mystique as she rushed in to check on her son.

Magneto followed at a more leisurely pace. "I'm very sorry about this Mystique, it was genuinely an accident."

"I'm not doubting that – it's the fact that my son is unconscious I'm worrying about!" The woman turned round and, gently, stroked her son's hair, her face softening. "There, there, wake up soon, wont you?" She sighed. "Why wasn't I informed of his presence here?"

Pietro shrugged. "We didn't know you were here, and if we had, I think we'd probably have said nothing in case the guy bolted – he's actually really hard to keep in one place for very long."

"Probably because he's been running all his life." The woman sighed and also seemed to have conveniently forgotten that it was her who had caused him the largest amount of grief in his life. "Has anyone contacted Xavier?"

"We cant – they're all out of town and Kurt doesn't have any contact numbers on him." The speedster summed up as, brushing himself down, he moved over to Kurt. "And before you ask, I was the one with the short straw on who looked through his pockets." He sighed. "And I had to give up my bed."

Mystique abruptly grabbed him. "If you dare moan about my son's welfare…"

"I wasn't moaning, just stating!"

Dropping him, the woman looked back at the unconscious mutant. "When do you think Kurt will wake up?"

"I don't know, Mystique." Magneto placed an arm on her shoulder. "But I will do anything in my power to help him."

The woman nodded. "Thank you." She frowned suddenly when the mutant abruptly rolled onto his side with a groan. "Kurt?"

"Mutter?" Opening his golden eyes, Kurt frowned as everything slowly came into focus. "Where am I?"

"At the brotherhood house." Pietro sighed; glad now that he was going to have his bed back after all.

"The brotherhood house?" The blue mutant sat up slowly. "That's right; I live in Bayville at the moment." He cocked his head and his face furrowed into a frown before he looked at them all. "But…who am I?"

Looking at one another, the group didn't know how to answer.

* * *

There was a full scale debate occurring in the living room as the blue mutant was left in Pietro's room to 'rest it off'. He hadn't asked any more questions, seemingly the idea of him not knowing who he was exactly wasn't any more important than asking about what he had to 'rest off'.

This was allowing the current debate to continue.

"What should we tell him?" Mystique finally managed to get to the most important point of their debate. "I mean, should we tell him he's an x-man and currently residing with his enemies?"

"What else should we tell him?" Tabitha pointed out. "I mean, if we tell him the truth he's going to freak and who knows then what would happen to the guy, but if we lie and he gets his memory back…"

"He might not." Magneto suddenly announced as he entered the room. "I've just been speaking with a telepath on the phone," he ignored the raised eyebrows, the idea of a telepath using a phone was hardly that surprising, "and she just finished giving Kurt a mental look over. He has amnesia."

"Which means…?"

"He might never remember who he is, or he could wake up tomorrow with his memory back." The man sighed and sat down, taking his helmet off. "And there's also the chance that anything we do and say now he'll forget completely if he recovers his memory at all."

"So…we should lie because there's every likelihood it'll stay that way, or he'll forget anyway." Pietro summed up. "But if we do lie, he'll know something's up when everyone starts telling him that Kurt Wagner actually lives with the x-geeks and has a family and a house in Germany."

Mystique narrowed her eyes at the last part of that statement. "He doesn't have family in Germany – just some people that chose to raise him. For all he knows I could have done that in Germany and then brought him over here to enrol into Bayville after the summer."

The speedster sighed. "But everyone else still knows him as the Kurt that lives with the x-geeks."

"That's it." Wanda grinned suddenly. "Everyone knows Kurt, sure, but if we change his image inducer to look like someone else and give him a new name, who isn't to say he's a new transfer student? And any likeness could be put down to a cousin of his called Kurt that recommended the school."

Tabitha raised her eyebrows. "That's good thinking, I take it you want to keep the walking plushie as well?" She grinned at the girls blush. "But we still have a problem, what happens if he remembers?"

"Tell him the truth." Pietro announced. "If he remembers everything, he'll know that we had to lie to ensure his safety. And if he never remembers, then he's as good as a member of the brotherhood."

"And if his memory comes back and he forgets everything that happens now but remembers everything before hand?" As he said this, Lance sat himself down with his head on one hand. "Then he'll just believe what the x-men tell him."

"Unless we tell him first – that he lost his memory, we told a few white lies and now that he has his memory back, we'd like to tell him how much we liked having him around the place." Mystique was grinning. "It's a win-win situation, and all thanks to that horrible image inducer of his – a few tweaks and to everyone else Kurt Wagner never returned from Germany and instead Michael Darkeholme has come to stay!" She clapped her hands with an even larger grin. "And our only worry is the x-men, but once we explain it to them they'll be forced to give up on him if he can't remember."

Everyone was staring at her.

"What?"

"Michael Darkeholme?" Wanda managed. "That sounds terrible!"

"It's his name."

"Since when?" Lance rolled his eyes at the whole idea.

Mystique folded her arms. "That's what I called my son when I gave birth to him; he was later named Kurt by those humans that decided to raise him."

Standing up, Magneto opened the living room door. "I think things are going to become very interesting, I'll go and tell him of his identity."

"Shouldn't I?" The blue woman asked, slightly annoyed. "I am his mother."

"Perhaps, but wouldn't his concerned guardian tell him of his identity so as to not upset his loving mother?" The master of magnetism smiled as she consented and, closing the door, headed up the stairs, only to stop when Pietro ran in front of him.

The speedster folded his arms. "This is a bad idea, there's absolutely nothing of his even here and where are we going to explain where he sleeps?"

"He just came here today, had a bit of a fright when someone saw how he truly looked on the plane and we're going to recover his things later. I'll give him the watch afterwards as well, so that he can blend in and not have to worry about it all happening again."

"And where is he going to sleep?" The silver hair mutant sighed. "I refuse to sleep on the couch."

"Then you'll have to share." Brushing past his son, the man was forced to stop again. "Yes, Pietro?"

"Why don't I talk to him first? It seems too…convenient otherwise."

Magneto folded his arms. "I'll be listening at the door."

So he couldn't tell the truth after all. "That's fine." Dashing ahead, Pietro entered the room and froze when he realised Kurt was cutting his hair with a pair of sharp scissors "Put those down!"

"Don't worry; I've cut my hair lots of times." Suddenly juggling the sharp implement, the blue mutant smiled. "I'm very gentle really, even though I don't look it."

Pietro blinked, having grown used to seeing the blue mutant in combat. "Yeah, about that…"

Kurt cocked his head. "You don't like how I look?"

"It doesn't really bother me, although the girls are going to give you hell about grooming you." He raised his eyebrows at the chuckle he received.

"There are girls here? I like the sound of that." Cutting his hair some more, the blue mutant looked at the mirror critically. "It is straight, right?"

Pietro looked back to the haircut that had stalled him earlier; it was simply a strip of long hair running down the centre of the mutant's hair and standing on end, in short, a mohawk. "It's certainly different, Michael." He was pleased to have put the name in so casually.

The mutant nodded. "I don't know why mother asked me to grow it out, it makes me look a little scarier, don't you think? Although my earring seems to have gone missing…" He looked at Pietro with his sharp yellow eyes. "Bitte, I forgot to ask, or maybe I did, what's your name?"

"Oh, Pietro."

"And my name is Michael?"

Pietro swallowed. "Yeah, it's Michael Darkeholme." He watched the blue mutant nod before moving away from the mirror and jumping onto the edge of the bed. "This is my room, just to let you know, but we're sharing until we organise something."

Grinning, Michael, as he was now called, suddenly back flipped on to the wall and then moved fluidly onto the wardrobe. "That's good; I'll just sleep up here then."

Squinting at mutant who was now completely blended into the shadows, Pietro couldn't help but laugh. "You're really weird."

"In a good or a bad way?" Teleporting behind Pietro, the mutant grinned.

"In a good way, I think."

"That's good." Looking up as the door opened, the mutant smiled at Magneto. "Hello, I'm Michael, what's your name? I'm sorry if I already asked but I seem to have forgotten everything – I hope I haven't upset mother."

"I am Eric, or else Magneto." Sitting down, the man sighed heavily. "I'm sorry about the airport; I should have taken more precautions."

"The airport?"

"You don't remember? You were seen." The man watched as Michaels face fell completely before he then abruptly vanished, reaping on the wardrobe.

From the shadows, his voice was weakly heard. "Bitte."

"I should apologise, Michael, it's my fault – I should have insisted upon a more private form of travel."

"I caused so much trouble again…" The blue mutant looked at his hands. "How did…how did you get me out?"

Magneto rose to his feet. "You bumped your head and, luckily enough, the collision caused you to teleport."

"I'm lucky I didn't end up in a wall."

"Indeed, but you did reappear in the air where you fell and crashed into a dumpster – I think that's why you lost your memory, but it also allowed me to retrieve you." The man smiled sympathetically. "But don't worry, not too many people saw you, and most were leaving for a trip anyway."

Michael nodded. "Can I see my mother?"

"Of course, she's downstairs, oh, and Michael? Could I ask for you to try and remember a little more? I don't want her to become any more upset."

Teleporting to the door, Michael smiled. "I'll do my best, oh, and how many people are living here?"

"There are six other mutants you're age, one of which is Pietro whom you've already met, as well as myself and your mother."

The blue mutant's eyes widened. "I've never been around so many people before, I think…"

As the two left, Pietro sat on his bed and wondered just what on Earth they had gotten themselves in for, and also, how much was Michael like Kurt?

Lying down as the whole thing was giving him a headache; he frowned and plucked blue fur off the bed. Oddly enough, he didn't mind so much that it was Michael's fur; after all, the guy seemed quite nice.

And he seemed to like him as well.

* * *

The following morning started strangely for Pietro, namely because he woke up feeling like he had slept with an electric blanket on, or more precisely, several dozen cats where sleeping on him judging by the weight.

Cats?

Opening his eyes, he found them staring into golden ones. Before he could scream, Michael covered his mouth and indicated for him to be silent then, he leant forward and, abruptly, dived forward with a growl.

Several squeals sounded and then Michael appeared from under the bed with a large rat in his hands. With a twist, he broke its neck and then handed it to the speedster. "Bitte, about being on the bed, but I had to in order to catch the rat."

"It's…a really big rat…" Holding it by the tail and as far from him as he could, Pietro looked at Michael. "Thanks, I think."

"It was sniffing your head when I noticed it."

Suddenly struggling with the urge to boil his hair, the mutant nodded. "Then thanks, definitely." Dropping the rat in the wastepaper bin, he then lifted out the plastic bag and took that with him as he headed downstairs. "What time is it?"

"Sunrise."

"What!" Groaning, he dropped the rat into the large bin before collecting the phone book and a box of cereal. Michael had collected some milk and two bowls which the speedster filled for them. "This is far too early."

"I like waking up at this time." The blue mutant grinned. "Although if I had my way I would be going to bed now and sleeping all day."

"You're nocturnal?"

"Not really, I just prefer the dark." Michael blushed and ran a hand through his strip of hair, which had caused barely a ripple of fuss last night to the blue mutants delight. "Bitte, you must think I'm really weird – catching rats and talking about being nocturnal."

Pietro shook his head. "Not really, you're just being you." He didn't notice Michael's sudden grin. "Anyhow, after we eat you'll have to help me find a half decent exterminator."

"Doesn't anyone here have any powers that could get rid of them?"

"We could gas them out with Toads smell…"

* * *

Smiling to herself, Mystique moved around the kitchen, cleaning the surfaces and preparing pancakes at the same time. Everyone was being woken up by the sound of her radio and, as they all trouped in rubbing their eyes, she smiled at their delight of having a hot breakfast.

And Michael in particular seemed ecstatic, asking her if she could make her infamous chocolate chip pancakes like when he was little.

The woman took it all in her stride, joking that it was so long since she had made them could he give her a hand? And he happily did, chatting all the while about how he liked it here and meeting everyone.

The 'everyone' he was referring to then ate chocolate chip pancakes with a certain amount of guilt at the mutant's enthusiasm. Although, oddly enough, as Lance pointed out once the mutant had left the room to fetch something out of Pietro's wardrobe he could wear for the day until Magneto 'retrieved his items from the airport'.

That was going to be interesting…

But, as Lance pointed out. "I remember Kitty telling me about when Kurt first came – he was completely bipolar between this goofball and this complete loner."

"Probably because they were all as startled at seeing him as most humans are." Mystique pointed out as she placed more pancakes on Michael's plate. "He probably thinks that we're really accepting since none of us are bothered by him being blue and furry."

Tabitha raised here eyebrows. "But we're used to you and your blue, so why should he bother us? I mean, we accept Todd's smell."

The woman nodded. "I don't think he quite realises that yet." Smiling as the door opened and Michael entered now wearing one of Pietro's T-shirts that clung to him tightly, she waved him to his seat. "Is that enough pancakes for you?"

Michael just grinned. "Is there ever such a thing as too many pancakes?"

* * *

That day, Michael had a lot of fun – first he was groomed by the girls which ended up in a tickle fight whilst the brotherhood boys cleared the attic and Magneto twisted metal into the walls so it was like a giant climbing frame inside for him.

Michael was then having a laugh as he helped tidy up the living room with everybody else so that when the exterminators came they would be able to get rid of all the rats, and he was delighted when Magneto turned up with his 'luggage'.

Although the only thing he seemed interested in was his swords and Errol Flynn movie box set.

Then the exterminators arrived and, during this, Michael tidied up and arranged the attic to his liking, particularly taking the time to explore the various new dimensions the twisted metal in the room offered.

It was like a small trapezium, although he couldn't quite fly in the room.

For some reason, Michael felt rather sad about that but shook it off as something he'd remember properly later.

And then the fun came back again.

He was in the middle of beating Lance at a computer game when Magneto presented him with the image inducer, he wasn't too ecstatic about having it so he could look human, but the positive fact of being able to go outside whenever he wanted to outweighed that.

Putting it on, he was pleased to see that his mohawk was part of the hologram, as well as his many sharp features. It really looked like him without the fur on and, grinning, he declared he was going to go for a walk and would be back in a while.

Closing the door behind the mutant, Pietro shook his head. "That hologram looks exactly like him."

"And totally different to his last one – it's the haircut mainly." Tabitha commented as she picked blue fur off her bright pink top. "It's great having Blue around though."

"I just wonder what the x-men are going to say about it." Pietro sighed as he sat down on the sofa.

Next to him, Lance just yawned. "They'll just have to accept it."

"Oh and what about what Kitty thinks over it all?" Pietro replied with a grin as Lance cursed. "At least you don't have to worry about him trying to take her away anymore."

Tabitha grinned. "Yeah, it's just you who'll have to worry about being snatched by Michael." She laughed at the speedsters shocked look. "He practically worships you."

"Well, he has good taste then." Ignoring the jibes, Pietro sighed. "And I was also the first out of all of us to actually talk to him."

Wanda nodded. "Yeah, once he realises how stupid my brother is, his days of worshipping an idiot are over."

"Oh? And who do you think he'll worship then?" Her brother replied snidely.

With the air of a princess, she smiled. "Me, of course."

* * *

Please R & R! 


	3. Disappearance

Disclaimer – If only, if only…

A big shout for: Kemious the kitsugriff andRisika Dragon1!

* * *

Arriving back at the institute at the end of his fifteen days away, Xavier was looking forward to the quiet its emptiness would offer him, as well as the chance to finally talk to and get to know Kurt that little bit better. Of all his students, Kurt was still the biggest mystery as he hated to give any scrap of information about his past, thoughts or feelings.

Looking around the large house, the man frowned at the layer of dust that had settled over everything, even bowls that had been set onto the table. Beginning to worry, the man did a quick sweep of the mansion and realised Kurt was nowhere to be found.

Contacting Logan as all the other students and staff where away, he sat at his desk and began to worry. Had Kurt been kidnapped? Killed? Run away with the belief no one cared about him?

After an hour, Logan entered the office, brushing bright blonde hair off his arms as well as dried blood. It seemed that a rodeo wasn't on his agenda after all…"This better be good, Chuck, I was busy taking care of a little feline problem."

"Sabre tooth?" Acknowledging the nod, he formed a steeple with his hands. "We have a problem, Kurt has gone missing."

"Have you done a mind swipe?"

"The first thing I did."

"Tried cerebro?"

Sometimes Xavier wondered if Logan ever paid attention at the 'In event of' meetings. "He's not using his powers at the moment so I can't locate him."

Logan nodded, time to try the real searching methods. "I'll try and track him then." Turning round, he paused. "Where would he have gone?"

"The cupboards are only half full."

"May as well be empty to Kurt's appetite, I'll try the shops and see where I go from there." The Canadian sighed and pinched his nose. "Are you going to tell the others?"

"I'll contact them tonight if we haven't found Kurt by then, I don't think he would like everyone to know he went missing if it was over a simple, innocent matter."

Logan just raised his eyebrows. "Nothing is ever simple with that kid."

* * *

After walking around the mall for nearly an hour, mostly in the ice cream bar where he asked a few of the workers if they had seen someone fitting Kurt's description and only receiving odd looks, Logan picked up the trail again and followed it.

Maybe it hadn't been a good idea wearing his biking leathers inside the mall, they all probably thought he was going to try and rob them.

Thankfully, the scent led him outside and, glad that it hadn't rained to wash the scent away, he followed it to the cinema. After questioning the staff there, he was surprised to be given Wanda's description from one of the ushers.

More probing questions revealed that the guy had been slightly jealous of Kurt as he was getting mauled by Wanda and 'some blonde', most likely Tabitha.

And, coincidentally, the scent led him straight to the brotherhoods house. There where signs of a scuffle of some form outside and, claws out, Logan kicked the door open and marched into the living room.

He was hit with three cushions and then a flying ball of blue fur.

"Kurt! Get off me!"

The blue fur ball did get off him in a cloud of smoke only to reappear wielding three very sharp swords and narrowed eyes. "Who are you and why have you just marched in?"

Logan stared at him incredulous. "Kurt, it's me, Logan."

"My name isn't Kurt."

Sure enough, now that he looked closely, Logan realised that the mutant, although it was most certainly Kurt, was a little bit taller and leaner than the one he remembered, and also sporting a butchered haircut that seemed to make him older and fiercer. "Ok, look, I'm just going to -"

"Leave?" Mystique suggested as she walked up behind him. "Michael, it's alright, this is Wolverine, he's one of the x-men."

Michael cocked his head. "X-men…did Pietro tell me about them?"

He hadn't, but the woman leapt at the excuse. "In passing, they're our rivals in the war of mutants and humans but, right now, we're at a truce so I'd like to question this one about why he's breaking this truce."

Reluctantly lowering his swords, Michael just scowled. "I'll be in the attic if you need me, just yell and I'll rip his throat out for you."

"Thank you, Michael." Watching the mutant vanish in a plume of smoke, she turned round to face Logan. "We have a lot to talk about and not much time, and I'd rather speak with the organ grinder and not the monkey."

Growling, Logan managed not to release his adamatium claws and go for the woman. "What have you done to Kurt?"

"He was startled by Magneto, ran into a tree, was hit on the head by a falling branch and then was hit again by all the dustbins."

"And he thinks he's called Michael because…?"

"Let's put it this way, he didn't know who he was, where he was and why he was here, what were we going to tell him? That we're his enemies and all his friends have gone and left him?" She smiled smugly at Logan's scowl. "Good, now go and I'll speak with Xavier tonight at the mansion around seven, if he could collect some of my son's things I'll bring them to him."

Growling, Logan turned round and stalked out, dreading how he was going to tell Xavier about the changes in circumstances.

Thankfully, the man was a telepath and so the explanation was cut short.

Apart from one tiny dilemma. "What are we going to tell the other students?"

* * *

True to her word, Mystique met with Xavier at seven and left at eight after explaining everything. She also took with her all of Kurt's, or now Michaels, clothing in a suitcase so that her excuse of getting the last of his things from the airport was believable.

And then, three days later, everyone came back to the mansion, only a few days earlier than planned, although no one was complaining as it seemed the general strain of being with their parents and not having as much freedom as they were used to was getting to them.

And Rogue seemed ecstatic at being able to get away from Kitty.

Chatting, the place quickly filled up and, summoning them all to his office, Xavier had the difficult job of telling them all about Kurt. But where to begin?

"Students, I have some difficult news. You see the brotherhood have gained a new recruit called Michael Darkeholme." He noticed their confusion. "But Michael is in all reality, Kurt. There was an accident and he's gained severe amnesia – everything, the x-men, his family in Germany, has been forgotten."

"But surely we should have explained things to him?"

"It happened whilst Kurt was with the brotherhood, Scott, and, as Mystique rightly informed me, he woke up in the enemy's house, not knowing anything, and how would they explain that all his friends where away and he was on his own with only them to look after him?"

Ororo was covering her mouth. "The poor child…surely there is something we can do, Charles?"

"Unfortunately, we can only wait until Kurt's memory returns, if it ever does. For now, we have to accept that he's now Michael, and a member of the brotherhood." Xavier sighed as everyone broke into fervent chatter. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."

Rogue turned round to face Kitty. "I can't believe Mystiques pretending he's her son."

"Well, she is his mother."

"And not a good one!" Rogue frowned. "Aren't you even slightly worried?"

Kitty shook her head. "I don't know, I mean, they're obviously taking care of him if they've gone to so much trouble."

"You mean, you're glad you don't have him around you all the time."

"Well, that's a bonus…" The girl grinned weakly as the goth rose to her feet and stalked out of the room before turning to Scott. "What do you think?"

"I think I want to pay the brotherhood a visit." The teenager glanced at the professor who was suddenly looking a lot older. "But I'm afraid we'll have to wait until everything settles down – it's going to be weird not having Kurt around though."

Kitty shrugged. "Not that weird."

"He's still attending school, Kitty, his image inducer has just been adjusted so he looks different is all." Scott rose to his feet also. "And I think it's going to be really weird having to call Kurt 'Michael' and acting as if I don't even know him." With that, he left, Ororo walking behind him with Logan, the woman worrying still.

"The child is probably being starved – he has to have double portions at every meal and single portions as his snacks between meals."

Logan patted her shoulder. "I'm sure he isn't being starved."

"But what will I do when I see him?"

"You'll have to pretend you didn't, Ororo." The man didn't want to add that they might have a shock when they saw him next anyway since the blue mutant was quite simply no longer Kurt.

He was starting to worry about what memories Michael had from Kurt's rather dark past. Hopefully a few good ones.

Those sharp yellow eyes came to mind.

Hopefully.

* * *

Not far away at all, Michael sat on the roof of the brotherhood house and simply watched the sun set and then the first of the stars come out. He glanced away from the scene only when a large raven landed next to him which then changed into Mystique.

The woman settled herself next to him and watched as the last of the sun dipped into the horizon. "Are you happy here, Michael?"

"Ja, I really like being around everyone."

"And yet you're hiding up here?"

He laughed. "You know I like to watch the sun rise and set, mother." He looked at the scenery just as Mystiques face fell. "Its just…so much has happened in such a short space of time – it worries me a little. Nothing good ever happens to me for long."

"I'm sure everything will work out this time."

Michael nodded, leaning into her side and his golden eyes watched as more stars blinked into life in the darkening sky. "Do you really think so? Only, last time we tried to go somewhere together it turned into disaster." His eyes closed and he buried into her side. "I don't want to be burnt again."

She stroked his hair and, not for the first time, felt her heart melt and freeze at the tiny glimpses her son offered of his past. "It won't happen again, I'll protect you."

"Where's dad?"

The woman froze completely. "You're dad?"

He looked at her. "You know, dad, a big, hairy guy who can be quite frightening but also really kind?" The mutant blushed, the light only just allowing it to show as he began to blend into the shadows it granted. "I forgot his name…and I can't really remember his face either – is that really bad? I hate not remembering things."

"It's alright." She stroked his hair and wondered just what to do, she had one idea but it meant putting a little of her perfect plan to jeopardy. "He's away, remember? For work."

The mutant frowned as his mind tried to remember any details, only drawing a blank. "I don't, sorry mum."

"Don't worry, I understand." Watching as the sky fully turned to night, she smiled at him. "Would you like to do anything tonight?"

"I would just like to stay here and think for a while, if that's alright." Michael smiled as she nodded at him. "Danke." Watching her change to a raven and fly back into the house, he simply returned to watching the night sky. After a long while, he stood up and then jumped, letting himself for a while, fly.

It made him feel really happy and, teleporting himself back onto the roof, he suddenly felt oddly alive.

He wished he knew why he wanted to fly so badly.

Underneath, a window opened and Pietro poked his head out to look at the ground. "Michael?"

"Up here."

Smack! Rubbing his head, the speedster squinted, trying to see onto the roof, or better yet, the mutant up there. "Did you jump off the roof?"

"I was flying."

"That's alright." Pausing, Pietro peered out again. "Are you going to come inside? I don't quite like the idea of you jumping off roofs and trying to fly." He jumped and hit his head, again, on the window frame as Michael appeared behind him in a plume of smoke. "You should warn me before you do that." Turning round, he noticed the mutant grinning mischievously. "But I take it that was deliberate."

"Only because you joked about my flying." Lying on the bed, he looked at the ceiling before closing his eyes. "I can fly you know, not like a bird, but I can."

"Yeah?" Sitting next to the mutants feet, Pietro waited. "Well, how do you fly?"

"I can't remember." Opening his eyes, he looked at the speedster. "And that makes me feel really sad."

Pietro managed a smile. "You'll remember, if it's really important, you'll remember it."

"You think?"

"I know."

Grinning, the mutant teleported out of the room and into his own where, for a while, he hopped about the twisted metal climbing frame, the actions tickling the back of his mind in a way that both annoyed and pleased him.

* * *

There had been a unanimous decision in the brotherhood house to go on a small shopping trip and 'spruce up', as Tabitha put it, Michael's wardrobe. He seemed to agree as he couldn't quite understand why he had so much bright clothing.

No one dared even mention his previous wardrobe as Kurt, even in jest.

So, as a group, they hit the shops which, as it was still the holidays, were utterly dead and so they had the run of the place really.

Meaning the girls abused the position and had all the guys consider a wardrobe change as they themselves browsed the clothes shops. After a few hours, they settled down to have an ice cream feast and to discuss their various influences on poor Michaels' wardrobe.

The blue mutant was consoling himself in a super size bowl of ice cream. Although even twelve flavours wasn't enough…

Just outside the mall, the x-men had decided to get some various things they needed for their next year of school and, entering, they immediately came face to face with the brotherhood.

The two groups sized one another up as Michael…

Walked past them all carrying a small mountain of bags and boxes. "Come on, mother said we had to be back in time for dinner."

Kitty's jaw dropped when she realised that the rather rough and punkish boy that had walked right past her was actually Kurt. "Kurt!"

And he kept on walking.

Smirking, Wanda passed by her. "He doesn't remember you, so you can forget that pathetic crush of his that you only ever used to boost your ego. Later."

Tabitha chuckled as she passed by and, after everyone else, Lance paused.

"Lance, what is like, going on with Kurt?"

"The professor didn't explain?"

She sighed. "Well, he like, did, but that's…"

The teenager shrugged. "Sorry, Kitty, but Kurt's kind of…gone. Later." Waving, he too left the group behind.

Scott clenched his fists. "I think we have to have a word with all of them."

Rogue nodded. "Yeah, and it wont take long until they give us the opportunity."

And she was right.

At around eight, Lance had declared that everyone go out and have some fun away from the adults. He was surprised when they were encouraged to leave by both Mystique and Magneto, but continued his crusade anyway.

On their journey out of town, Pietro was pleased when he spotted the x-men who were also out and, as it happened, in uniform as they were practicing some kind of situation. Silently, he and the brotherhood agreed on giving them a surprise.

Moving through the building, Jean spoke into her com piece. "There's no one on this floor, how about yours?"

Scott's voice replied. "No one on this one either, keep looking."

"Will do." Sighing, the red head turned round and froze as all the objects in the room suddenly burned bright green and began to move around. "Wanda?"

"It's the Scarlet Witch when in uniform." The girl stepped out and grinned. "Time to scream!"

Elsewhere in the building, Rogue looked up at the loud noise and, cursing, started to run back down to the ground floor where Jean was, she stalled when she spotted Pietro in front of her. "I should have known it would have been you lot!"

"What's wrong with that?"

Spinning round at the German voice, Rogue froze. Could she attack Kurt?

Walking forward slowly, the demon came right up to her and gently cupped her chin in such away he didn't touch her but forced her to look at him. "Oh, don't worry; I'm only a demon in appearance, not in nature." He looked completely different – his hair, his manner, his height – when had he gotten so tall? The mutant gently whispered in her ear. "I'm more of an animal then." Then he teleported.

Several times.

Releasing her, he then spun round, knocking her feet out from under her before pouncing. Grinning, he then flipped her onto her stomach and tied her hands behind her back. "We can use this one for ransom."

"Ransom?" Pietro raised his eyebrows. "Careful, don't touch her -"

Michael froze, blinking. "I can't touch her skin? It really hurts if you do…why do I know that?"

"Lance probably mentioned it, Michael, he's always getting zapped by her, and he always go on about it." Quicksilver zipped over to him and pulled Rogue to her feet; we'll just take her to the others, but why we need ransom I won't know."

"It never hurts to take precautions." Michael grinned. "And this one is prettier than the others, so we at least have someone nice to look at if she isn't much of a conversationalist."

Pietro frowned. "Are you sitting this one out?"

"I might, I feel really odd at the moment. See you downstairs." Shaking his head, Michael teleported and reappeared behind some crates. "You alright?"

"Don't even think of trying anything."

"Why would I do that? If I even wanted to, touching you would probably kill me." He paused. "Would you turn all blue and furry if you absorbed my powers?"

Rogue growled. "We could try it." Getting a hand loose, she dove towards Michael only to hit smoke and then a crate.

His weight then hit her hard. "If you keep pulling stunts, then I'll be forced to hurt you."

"What's stopping you?" This really wasn't Kurt at all – he couldn't bear to touch people let alone hurt them! Or was it that he was too scared they would touch him if he touched them?

Suddenly, Kitty phased through the crate. "Rouge? Where are – Rogue!" She blinked at the sight of Michael who was staring at her. "Err, Jean kind of needs us."

"In the fray?" He growled, bristling suddenly and then grabbing her hand before teleporting. When he reappeared, right in the middle of the battle, he actually felt dizzy from teleporting them both.

Or was it something else?

Spinning round, he kicked Rogues feet again and then leapt onto Kitty, rolling over her and producing his swords which he then grinned at. "I believe the tables are changing?" Behind him there was a roar and then Logan charged at him.

In a flash of blades and smoke, Michael reappeared above the brotherhood. "Why are we fighting these people again?"

"Because they'll attack us."

"Right…" He blinked as Scott blasted the group with his red laser beams, destroying several crates and hitting Wanda. "Hey!" Vanishing, he reappeared behind the teenager and hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. "One down." Another teleport and all hell broke loose.

It was insane, Michael was fighting with everything he had – acrobatics, biting, scratching and his swordplay, intending to injure but not permanently harm. And everyone was shocked at this, the x-men quickly realising that he was most certainly not Kurt and that they had to fight him.

Because he wasn't going to back down.

Logan actually called a retreat when he realise how quickly the x-men where falling and, leaving the brotherhood celebrating, he turned back to roughly grab Michael who hissed at him, but nothing more. "Look, bub, I really hope you get your head sorted out or else I'll really have to hurt you."

The blue mutant looked at him blankly and, again, Logan noticed how much he had changed in such a short time. "Just, try and remember me, eh, fur ball?"

Being released, Michael watched him leave. "Who is he?"

"Wolverine." Lance replied, grinning and clapping the blue mutant on the back. "And we finally won against them!"

Todd was hopping up and down. "Yo, blue, you're our lucky charm! Everything is looking up!"

The blue mutant just shook his head. "Can we go back now; I'm feeling really dizzy…"

Pietro looked at him, concerned. "Yeah, we've done more than enough tonight."

Behind his back, Tabitha made kissing noises and was hit on the head by Wanda. "Hey, I was teasing your brother!"

"Over something I want." The girl replied before taking Michaels arm. "Come on, how about we get some ice cream?"

The blue mutant immediately perked up. "Sounds good."

Eating their ice creams, a staple food in Michael's diet they were beginning to realise, they returned to the brotherhood house.

Lance was laughing as he opened the living room door where he simply froze at the sight of Magneto, Mystique and Sabre tooth in deep conversation, well; the feline man was listening rather than talking. "Oh, we'll just go upstairs."

"Anything to report?" Magneto asked, watching as Pietro dashed into the room.

"We won against the x-men – you should have seen Michael!" He paused when he noticed Sabre tooth. "Why is he here?"

The woman sighed. "I hadn't counted on Michael remembering so much of his German family, so this is an experiment to see if Sabre tooth is anything like what he thinks his dad is."

"That's a recipe for disaster – this is Sabre tooth we're talking about."

The woman shrugged. "It's only for a few days, if it works, and then he'll be going to 'work' again."

"Right…I'll tell the others and send Michael down." Vanishing up the stairs, Pietro was beginning to worry. "Michael, your mum wants you." He stopped when he realised that Tabitha and Wanda where grooming a now shirtless blue mutant with cat brushes. "Michael."

"Ja, I'm coming." Sitting up, he yawned and stretched. "I'll see you lovely ladies later." He then vanished in a plume of smoke.

"What's happening?" Wanda asked.

"Mystiques panicked about Kurt's dad so she's trying to see if Michael might accept Sabre tooth as one – his description was 'big and hairy' of him, he can't remember much else."

Wanda was giggling. "This is going to be interesting, and you could always say you can see where the fur came from…"

Downstairs and things weren't going so lightly as Sabre tooth spotted Michael and nearly lunged for him before remembering this was the mutant he might have to be playing happy families with.

"You called, mother?" Michael looked from Mystique to Sabre tooth and then back at Mystique.

"Michael, do you remember this person?" The blue woman chewed her nails as Michael walked up to and then peered at Sabre tooth for a long moment.

The feline growled. "I'm not a freak show."

"Neither am I." The blue mutant replied before scratching behind one ear. "Your name is Creed, isn't it?"

"Victor Creed, that's right, but I prefer -"

"Sabre tooth?"

The blue woman waited with bated breath.

The hairy man nodded and then, carefully, petted the blue mutant on the head and ruffled his mohawk. "What's with the stupid haircut?"

"It's better than yours, dad." Michael pushed the paw off and glowered at him. "You are my dad, right? Only I can barely remember."

Glancing at Mystique and Magneto who nodded in approval, he looked at the blue mutant in front of him. "Yeah…" Growling as he was abruptly hugged, he tore Michael off him. "Kid…"

Sticking his tongue out, Michael grinned. "I've really improved with my swords – do you want to see?"

Suddenly, Sabre tooth looked a lot more interested. "Why don't we have a little practice session…?" Grinning, he watched the blue mutant vanish.

"Don't even dare think of tearing him apart." Mystique warned.

"I'll only push him round a little." The man promised before looking up as Michael reappeared with his three swords. "Did I only say a little?"

* * *

Flashing swords and dancing acrobats, Sabre tooth didn't really stand a chance, but he tried anyway and, surprisingly, had a lot of fun trying to catch the blue mutant.

The main problem was that Michael knew that teleporting threw off Sabre tooth's senses, and so he used it to his advantage along with his speed and agility.

After nearly an hour, Michael had to call it quits after Sabre tooth found an opening and managed to knock him over so hard he went flying into the wall where, picking himself up, he just laughed.

"I was never any good defending my left side."

"We'll work on that there whilst I'm here." Sabre tooth told him before catching sight of Mystique. "Have you done your homework?"

"It's the holidays, and I haven't even started school here yet."

"I see. Fancy another round?" The large man grinned as, once more, swords flashed and he had to dodge them, getting pretty badly sliced in the process.

It looked like things might actually work.

Watching from the door, Mystique smiled and shook her head. She had always wanted her son back, and she was growing really fond of Michael. It just pained her that he might be forever lost to her one day if he became Kurt again.

* * *

Please leave a review! They're our staple diet, don't let us starve!

Oh, and next and final update is Monday!


	4. Changing minds

Disclaimer – If anyone sees them on EBay, tell me!

Shouts to risika-dragon (I agree about Sabretooth!) Kemious the Kitsugriff (loved the comment, very detailed – the best kind!)

Sitting on the roof, Michael watched the sunrise, feeling quite content for the first morning since he could remember – a total of eight days now. And oddly enough, his want to fly didn't seem at all important, no, what was important was keeping up with his fathers training.

And he reckoned he was improving everyday.

But there was something still bothering him.

Kurt.

For some reason, every morning he woke up and every time he was half asleep, he heard that name and there's was no reason he could think as to why. But that could just be forgotten – as Pietro had said, if it was important he'd remember in time.

The whim to fly suddenly burned bright and, jumping off the roof, he let himself fall before reappearing on the roof again.

It really wasn't the same as that in his memory.

"Michael!"

Looking at the ground, he smiled at his Mother and waved. "Up here!"

"Just checking!"

Underneath Kurt, the window opened and Pietro stuck his sleep rumpled head out of the window. "Why do you have to get up early every morning?" Jumping and hitting his head off the window frame for the eighth morning in a row, he sighed and turned round to see Kurt laughing as he lounged on his bed.

Sitting next to the teenager, he sighed. "You're in a good mood."

"Yeah, it's been fun since my dad came home." The blue mutant cocked his head to one side at Pietro's dark look. "Do you not like him being there?"

How could he say he hated Michael being fooled so completely? "Its just weird, that's all, you seem so happy with your dad and mines…" He frowned as Kurt patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry; things have a habit of working out." Michael paused and frowned. "Who said that to me, it sounds really familiar…a white haired -"

Without thinking, Pietro pounced on the blue mutant and, in a tumble, they wound up on the floor, Michael pinning the speedster down and frowning.

After a moment, he spoke. "Why did you jump on me?"

"Wanda said if you tickle your stomach you kick your leg, and since the conversation was getting a bit too serious I figured that I would try it out."

Michael narrowed his golden eyes and slowly let Pietro go. "Are you trying to not let me remember?"

"I don't think you should push it."

"Do I hate you?"

Pietro froze completely.

"That's it, isn't it?" Michael walked up to him. "Something happened between us before I lost my memory, and you're worried that if I remember I'll hate you."

It was so close, so very close. "It's not so simple…" Looking away and ruffling his hair, he frowned when the blue mutant placed his odd hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure that, even if I get my memory back, I'll still remember how kind you were to me now and I'll take that into consideration." He grinned. "Maybe we should have a sort of code so that you'll know if I remember or forget."

"Like?"

"A nickname for each other?" Michael shrugged and sat back onto the bed. "Something no one else would think of. Like…Sonic for you."

"Sonic?"

"Like I said, something no one else would call you." Michael watched as the speedster sat next to him and turned round so his back was resting against the lean shoulder. "Well?"

Pietro sighed. "This is really stupid."

"Come on, just trust me. You can be Sonic and I'll be…"

"Tails?"

"Why do I have to be a girl fox and you get to be the super cool blue hedgehog?"

The silver haired mutant laughed. "You insisted on this."

"How about I get to be knuckles? At least he's male."

"Aww, you'd make a cute girl." Pietro laughed at the affronted look he was given and, on a whim, ruffled the messy mohawk only to have the blue mutant turned round and ruffle his hair back.

A minute later and they were having a play fight on the floor before, abruptly, Michael teleported them onto the kitchen table.

Sabre tooth stared at them both, mug halfway to his mouth as he looked at Michael straddling Pietro. Sipping the coffee, he placed it down and folded his arms. "You have five seconds to give me a good reason for this."

"We were fighting and I was thinking of food?" Michael suggested before squeaking when Sabre tooth grabbed him by his scruff and took him off Pietro. "Dad?"

"It's fine. Just put on your watch and go grab a paper, alright?" Watching as the blue mutant did as he was told; he waved him off and then turned to Pietro. "I don't care how attractive you think he is, there's no way you're going to get him."

Pietro pouted. "I don't think of him like that."

"Right and I'm the pope." The man shook is head. "You give him more little looks than Wanda does, and my son isn't going to -"

"He's not your son." The mutant reminded him.

"And he's not going to be your boyfriend, Magneto is gearing that towards your sister, he's suddenly realised that if second generation mutants can't breed together, his idea of a mutant dominated society might be cut prematurely short."

Pietro's face fell completely. "You can't be serious."

"I am." Looking up as the door opened and Michael handed the paper over as he turned his watch off, he smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Come on, I got some new moves to show you – such as breaking someone's bones with one kick."

"Sounds lethal." Eyes bright, the mutant made to follow and, at the last moment, paused next to Pietro, leaning over and quickly whispering in his ear. "Sonic."

"Tails." Pietro whispered back and, on a whim, caught and tugged the blue mutants, earning a laugh before he was gone completely.

Smile falling, Pietro chewed his nails. Michael had to get his memory back, even if it meant that Kurt would hate him – what his father planned…

It had to be the reason he agreed to go to such lengths to keep the blue mutant there in the first place – Mystique wasn't that important after all.

Sighing, he got to his feet and, with a final glance, decided it was time to make Michael remember how to fly.

But how to do it?

--

Breakfast seemed so…dull now.

Rogue sighed and idly poked her breakfast before just giving up on it completely, instead lookout the window.

Placing a hand on the Goths shoulder, Ororo managed a small smile. "Don't worry; things have a habit of working out."

"It's just…you don't realise how much he was here until he wasn't."

Next to her, Kitty nodded. "Yeah, I actually like, miss him annoying me."

Across from her, Scott frowned. "We could try approaching the brotherhood, see if he remembers us by talking to him."

"But we can't do that because he doesn't know us according to that fabricated lie that Mystiques woven around him." Rogue informed him.

Kitty suddenly grinned. "Lance told me the funniest thing yesterday – Mystique is having Sabre tooth act as Kurt's dad, how weird is that?"

On the other side of the room, Logan stiffened before growling. "That demented monster has his hands on Kurt?"

Realising that maybe it hadn't been so funny after all, Kitty swallowed nervously. "Apparently they get on really well."

"We have to get Kurt out of there." Logan popped his claws out and, turning, stopped as the professor wheeled in front of him. "Out of my way, chuck, I have a feline to rip apart."

"I don't think that's wise." The man smiled sadly. "It would only upset the delicate balance that Kurt is currently living in; if it collapses…I don't know what he would do in his confused state."

"So I have to just sit back and watch?"

The man sighed. "Unfortunately, that's all we can do."

"Actually," Pietro grinned as everyone turned to look at him, "you might be wrong about that."

"What do you mean, bub?" Logan snarled, wondering if the skinny mutant was a good enough substitute to kill instead of Sabre tooth…

"Let Kurt fly again."

--

The plan was simple, Pietro had to lure Michael to the x-mansion in any way he could and from there, the x-men would take over. They would only have a small time frame to be able to try out the speed freaks plan and, if it failed, he only hoped his excuses would work.

Hopefully.

Sitting in the brotherhood house, he was beginning to doubt the window of opportunity was ever going to open as, when Michael wasn't with Sabre tooth, Magneto or Mystique learning some new technique or trick, he was with Wanda.

It was subtle really, how the adults went about it, but at meals, when watching movies, working in pairs, it was always Michael and Wanda. Pietro was, in fact, very nearly cut off from the blue mutant, but thankfully it was still the holidays.

Which meant no one woke up early except Kurt, and because he was getting used to it, Pietro, although he still hit his head on the window most mornings.

And this was one such morning.

The blue mutant was lounging on the bed and grinning as the speed freak rubbed his sore head. "Every time."

"I haven't done it twice now."

"Still, that's nearly every time." Michael grinned lazily, frowning slightly when Pietro clamoured next to him, leaning forward slightly. "Sonic?"

"I've got a surprise for you, want to see it?"

"What kind of surprise?"

Pietro managed a grin. "One that takes us outside."

Pressing the button on his watch, the human appearing Michael now grinned at the silver haired mutant. "Let's go then – will it take long only mum wants me -"

"It won't take long; we'll be back in time for breakfast. Now, take us to the mall." Holding out his arm, he swallowed as the blue mutant took it and then –

Stomach turning upside down –

He was near the mall. "Alright, this way."

It took only five minutes through a mixture of teleporting and Pietro dragging Michael along at high speed to reach the mansion where, as he planned, the professor and Ororo where waiting for him.

Michael stared at Ororo for a long moment. "Have we met before? I'm sure I remember that beautiful face from somewhere…"

She smiled and, taking his arm, turned the watch off. "Come on, Michael, I'm going to take you flying."

Looking back at Pietro, the blue mutant hesitated. "Are you coming?"

"Of course." Following, although hating every second of it, he entered the danger room just behind the pair and frowned. Wasn't Ororo supposed to take Michael flying? Instead the giant room looked like some crazed mess of metal and rope, like a trapezium on acid.

The blue mutant simply stared. "I can fly with this…" And then he vanished in a plume of smoke and was…

The only word that came to mind for the silver haired mutant was indeed flying as the mutant seemed to move effortlessly in every direction as he somersaulted, teleported, twisted and spun in the maze of metal and wire. He really did look quite beautiful up there.

Ororo put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry; things have a habit of working out, Pietro, even if it hurts."

"He won't remember me." The silver haired mutant sighed. "At least not the me that Michael knows."

"Sometimes these things are just meant to be." Looking up, she smiled as the blue mutant landed on the ground. "How was it, Kurt?"

The blue mutant paused and, frowning, cradled his head. "It was good to fly, Ororo, but I really don't feel so well now."

Then the mutant just collapsed.

--

School started all too soon for the mutants of Bayville, the crowds, assignments and lectures quickly becoming a drone even on the first day back, their holiday excitement long since faded.

One of the few mutants who seemed to be genuinely happy though was Kurt, who was for once was the centre of attention and not because he was fooling around. After returning to the mansion, it seemed that the Kurt they knew had brought back a little bit of Michael.

Although you never really saw him unless it was in the danger room, or when he was watching the stars. Except the mohawk was a constant reminder and the tweaked image inducer remained, Kurt explaining it to anyone (which was everyone) who asked him, as finally having his 'growth streak' at long last.

His missing fortnight wasn't spoken about by either the x-men or the brotherhood and, as far as anyone knew, Kurt didn't seem to even realise anything had happened, although he did know that a fortnight of his precious lazing time had vanished.

The brotherhood though where mourning the loss of Michael as much as the x-men celebrated the return of Kurt. No one had been as devastated at the loss as Sabre tooth was though, seeing as he had adopted Michael as his own; Mystique was surprisingly taking it much better.

As she had said to them on the matter, 'I had my son for a fortnight; it's more than what I ever hoped for'.

But Pietro on the other hand wasn't taking it so well. He missed the blue mutants laughter and cheerfulness, his little morning talks and the closeness they had together even if it had never become anything other than friendship.

And now he didn't even have that.

Spotting the group of x-men in front of him, he averted his eyes and, as the fur brushed against his hand, could only sigh at the bitterness that welled up in his throat.

Then that fur was all around him as fangs brushed against his ears.

"I haven't forgotten, Sonic."

Then he was gone in a teasing moment of silky fur, Pietro left standing in the hall and blinking in surprise. Had he imagined the whole thing?

Or was it only a scrap of memory that Kurt had left?

Or was Kurt really Michael?

Grinning, he decided that over the next few weeks, he would have to find out, but first of all, he was going to have to call him Tails…

Just to make sure, of course.

The end,

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